Europe February 2012: Ford Focus on podium, Fiat Panda in Top 10

The European car market slips down by 9.5% year-on-year in February at 925,987 registrations, bogged down by France (-20%) and Italy (-19%). The VW Golf and Polo dominate the models ranking for the 5th consecutive month, dipping down slower than the market at 32,724 units (-4%) and 24,254 sales (-6%) respectively. For only the second time in the last 40 months, the Ford Focus climbs onto the European podium with 19,681 sales, up a massive 20% year-on-year.

Fiat Panda

The Focus beats its little sister the Fiesta for the first time since last August but stays #4 year-to-date at 41,949 units, up 13%. The only other Top 10 model to progress this month is the VW Passat, valiant in 7th position with 16,622 sales, up 0.4% and bringing its year-to-date total to 34,317 units, up 8%. Thanks to the new generation already doing wonders in Italy and Austria, the Fiat Panda is back in the European Top 10 for the first time since May 2010 at #10 with 15,785 sales, down 3% on February 2011.